Today was a poop on a book kind of day

Literally...  Mr. Bruce pooped on it. Mmmhmmm.... that happened. After rereading some of my old posts I saw the post about Karen Kingsbury's Let Me Hold You Longer, and immediately ordered it for myself . It's such a sweet little children's book about a mothers love for her child and remembering all the lasts as they grow. Bruce, apparently had a different feeling about all that.
Had I found it this morning I would've taken it as the bad omen it was and called it a pajama, movie day. That would be that, I wouldn't try to get Leona's room finally clean, again, catch up on housework, or have any agenda at all. But I didn't, I found it right before bedtime, in between deep breaths of frustration and pajama negotiations.
I'm not complaining, really, I completely understand how crazy blessed we are to have been trusted with these three amazing people. But dang, it can be so hard some days right?
I mean today EVERYTHING  was a battle, little things, things that don't usually cause them to bat an eye was a struggle. No one one warns you about the countless times you will deep breath yourself out of a room or through a conversation. No one says "Hey, you know your daughter is going to test you beyond all one day and flat out REFUSE pick up her room, and then as you step out of her room for the umpteenth time you're heart will ache for her, because of the sadness and frustration you know she's feeling." And for sure you never think about what you're going to do when at Target your toddler refuses to sit in the cart, your oldest brought snuck in a book so is begging to ride in the cart and your daughter has chosen to cheer on her little brother as he runs wildly through the store. Right, We don't really talk about all that crazy, not out loud, not outside our closest ring of confidants, (if we're so lucky to have that)
So yeah, dang, motherhood is hard. And on a day like today it's really really hard. But then, I know there has to be a God and yes he is for sure one of humor and mercy because he sends me perfect moments like these ones all captured today.

And I know tomorrow will be a new day, a better day. And today is just one day of countless days.
















So I'll keep on taking those deep breaths, and soaking up every moment before it passes me by. Because as frustrating as it was still is because Leona just came out, again, 90 minutes after I 1st told her to go to bed. to say a million times to please go back to bed and go to sleep. I secretly love it, when Ivan comes out once again for a goodnight hug and kiss and pretends to have his eyes shut.

 "For come some bright fall morning, you'll be going far away. College life will beckon in a brilliant sort of way. One last time to understand just how much you will be missed. I'll watch you leave and think how fast our time together passed." Karen Kingsbury

 If you're interested in grabbing a copy of this sweet book, here's a link to Karen's page.
Karen Kingsbury

Sometimes Ivan calls Leona honey and then I almost die!

                            

 Well not really, only because of all the cuteness going on between them!

Growing up it was just my older sister and I. We had the typical sister rivalries and it took us both being married and having children to really learn to appreciate each other. So this is in honor of my own sweet, beautiful, funny big sissy whom is turning 30 something today! 

As a mommy of three, two boys and one girl right in the middle, sibling relations is often on the forefront of my mind. Isaac and Leona are almost 3 1/2 years apart and it really took awhile for them to bond and learn to play together. And then, along came Ivan, just 17 months after Leona. He fulfilled her need to be a mommy to a real life doll in every way. These two are buds and are inseparable most days, especially since Isaac's the only one who is in school these days. Siblings are so interesting and I love how they can stretch and teach one another in the comfort of our own home.

 For Isaac it's been great for him to have a little brother, to share with and pass along his knowledge of all things boy. Together they're rough and tumble and just a couple guys taking on the world together. Leona struggles a bit I think finding her place amidst all the dirt bikes and trucks, dinosaurs and action heroes. But I love the softness she brings to her brothers. Forcing them to stop all the craziness and enjoy one another. 

I want my boys to grow up knowing how to treat women with respect. And my daughter to know how to be a lady that deserves that sort of respect. how cool is it that our own family unit is the perfect place to learn and perfect that?                                                                                                                                                          "To the outside world we all grow old. But not to brothers and sisters. We know each other as we always were. We know each other's hearts. We share private family jokes. We remember family feuds and secrets, family griefs and joys. We live outside the touch of time" - Clara Ortega

Happy birthday sissy, thanks for always being my protector, adviser, and friend! xoxoxo

Bruce Springstein

This little boy is going to be three years old in just over three months which seems completely incorrect and I'm not sure how it's actually possible. Probably the same way I'm almost the big 3 0h my goodness! 

So of coarse extensive baby fever has set in because I don't think I really know what to do without a baby. This is the longest I have gone since getting pregnant with Isaac in 2005, without being pregnant again, pretty nutso! Clint's way against the idea of another child and it's completely impractical in this season of life. But babies are so so so cute and don't talk back, and are small. and did I say cute! Right, the baby fever, I told you! Leona's totally on my side though except that she wants me to commit a felony and get her an older sister, by just "taking" a older girl to be her sister! Lol! 

So in comes  Mr Bruce Springstein

 Honestly that face! Mom is a Boston terrier, but dad's an unknown. I 'm pretty sure that he was a last ditch effort of Clint's to take down that baby fever! We've had him just over a week and he's been fun, the kids love him, maybe a little too much at times. Poor Brucy gets held and played with more that any little puppy ever has before! But I'm excited to have a little running buddy when he's bigger of coarse and love that the kids now have a little pup to call their own! 

Free Icecream! Say what!?!

 Clint and I were lucky enough to go on a date night last night at Pasion in Old Orcutt (thank you Uncle Ryan! )  I always want to make a silly face and say Paaashheeooonnn. But I'm not so cool so anyways, we went on a date night and the food was pretty good, definitely not Paleo friendly but I'm pretty sure that there's not calories or anything bad in date night food right? It was so nice having adult time, there was live music, wine, and good food, need I say more? This year is just going to be crazy go nuts with how much Clint's going to be traveling for Lund Mx (whoot whoot)! So super duper proud of where Clint's taking his business! I'll have to post on that later. On to more important things, As we were leaving and trying desperately to avoid the temptations of Doc Bernsteins ice cream just next door, we saw this

Like, really, free ice cream, for breakfast, ummm I am certainly thinking, yess! So this morning as Isaac and Clint were getting ready to make the trek down to Anaheim to go watch the motocross races, I was anxiously awaiting 9 o'clock, so that I could let Ivan and Leona in on my breakfast surprise for them! It almost crossed my mind to be health conscience and pass it up, and then I just thought of how cool it would've been if my mom took me to ice cream breakfast. So off went, 3 pajama wearing fools! If you, for some reason have never been to Doc Bersteins in AG or now in Orcutt, go there! They have so many fun flavors, they're super nice, have a train going around the ceiling, and a party room, what else could a mom kid ask for? So the catch was that they were giving away free bacon maple ice cream )interesting) but any other flavor you had to buy. So I did what any savvy mother would do and got the free one for the youngest child (poor Wob) because he just wants ice cream and is too smart to complain and got the whiny princess daughter whatever her little heart desired, (bubble gum of coarse) that was in the smallest size possible. I'm not going to lie, part of me really wanted to jump over the counter and stop them as they seriously piled on like three scoops, large scoops,  on a tiny cake cone. This is 9 o'clock in the morning time for goodness sake people.. the sugar oh the sugar! And then I came to my senses and calmly handed over the cones!  It was awesome, we walked into the little party room, and Cars was playing on the the big screen , it was like a super bowl party for toddlers! 

 Yeppers, free ice cream for breakfast, always a good idea!

 

Making the hard choices

So this is sort of a hard thing for me to put out there. It's touchy and personal, and something that's not always to fun to talk about. But in the belated spirit of New Years resolutions, I'll share:
Ever since I can remember, my weight has been a topic. At least within myself. It's always there, how to stay fit, get fit, look fit, does this sag or pull.... You get the drift. What woman doesn't feel self conscience from time to time right? Especially after having three kids. Being a young mom I think just compounded the issue for me. And then one day I just decided to make the hard choices and start doing something different. So little by little I did, I parked a little farther out in the parking lot or skipped on the dessert (very rarely did I do this heheh!) Somehow a few years ago a friend talked me into doing a 5K, so I I totally did it, followed the whole C25K program (check it out http://www.c25k.com/ if you never have) and ran the heck of that 5K, once. And that was sort that. Got bored, got busy, and stopped running. And forgot about my fitness for awhile. 
But it always comes back it's like this itch I can't ever quite reach, how to stay fit, get fit, be fit. 
And so now, with three littles watching me I sometimes feel guilty about taking those precious minutes away to workout, does anyone else feel that way? But in a way I think it's so good because they need to know that I am doing my best to be a better mommy for them. You know I think those are powerful tools to hand down, that you're worth the effort to take time out for yourself and that's okay. And not at all in a selfish self centered sort of way either, but in like a, God put me on this earth for a purpose and so I want to be the best image of Him in every way sort of mentality. 
Okay so all that to say, I'm still on this path of personal health and fitness, and I really do enjoy it! I love getting the kids involved in whatever way that looks like, be it cooking, or joining my on a jog like IJ did last weekend. He rocked it out by the way, ran a solid 10 minutes with me before he started to complain! 
The other exciting thing we've decided to do this year is try to adhere to the Paleo lifestyle of eating! Basically it's based on the cavemen's diet and focuses on whole, organic, foods. We thought we'd be able to carry it out for the whole family, but dang, for kids it's tough! So Clint and I are following it for the most part and making modifications for the kids. It's been interesting for sure and I think Clint probably has had enough salads to last him a years worth. But we're both feeling really good and encouraged to continue with it. We decided to give it a year and then see how we feel about it. I'll be adding some of my favorite recipes as time goes on I think. 
Has anyone one else done the Paleo diet? What are your thoughts on it? I'd love to hear!

Wow... really... over 3 years!

I honestly don't know when it happened... Three years just flew by and before I knew it, these perfect tiny people are three years older. One thousand mornings of huggy kisses, cereal poured, hairs brushed, teeth brushed, clothes put on. One thousand days of laughter, and tears, stories told, books read, crafts made, messes made, clothes laundered, dishes cleaned, boo boos kissed, fights refereed, and hugs to make it all better. One thousand moments in one thousand days all slipped away in the movement of just being us.      I'm going to try really, really, hard to keep posting regularly. Even if it's just to say Ivan gave me another flower today, and Leona took my breath away again with her beauty and kindness. Or Isaac is ridiculously smart and talented, I hope he realizes that one day.  

So here's to just that. Remembering to remember today.
(Here's a few of my favorite pitures from the past few years, hope you"ll enjoy!)

 

 
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

Hello, goodbye

With only a week left until it's officially the end of the Summer season we here on the central coast are still waiting for summer to arrive! I am feeling particularly nostalgic, on several levels. To be extra sensitive, give me a break, I mean I am preggos here I feel like this summer was the last that Isaac was really a baby. Well, I know he's not a baby anymore, he's 4, I know that but the last summer he's really just ours. Next summer #3 will be here and life will be even more crazy, but also real school will be right around the corner and friends then become his focus. I love the pre- school years, but I think that too often I get caught up in the second to second, moment to moment trials. No we can't scream in the store, no we can't bring the bug inside, please be quiet just for a second.... mommies losing her mind So then, I start thinking, well really, really, why not, is it  really going to hurt to let go of my agenda to take in a bit of his? I think not. Today, I very unwillingly took the kids to the park, I had a million reasons why I tried to talk us out of going, I was tired topping my list, it was windy (when isn't it here), it's late, blah blah blah. We went and I felt much better for it, not only physically, but a better mom too that I had done what he wanted to do for once. I'm trying to take in as many of those moments as possible lately, before it's to late he's annoyed by me trying to have a tickle fight or sing him to sleep. Oh how I adore my sweet boy! I can hardly wait to see little Leona's personality develop more and more all the time. She is such a sweet and funny girl, it's hard to imagine her in the the throws of toddler-dom.

This summer was unfortunately quite uneventful, we did however, make it up to my parents for one last hooray before school started, and for some real summer weather. Clint wasn't able to make it but it was a blast all the same, it felt a bit like a crash coarse of my childhood summers for the kids. I hope to make more of a family tradition of it and spend many a summers there in the years to come. 

Here are a few of my favorite pictures from our weekend there, hope you enjoy!

Day 1: Isaac got to drive the boat with Grandpa (he had a blast), I took Isaac out on his 1st tubing experience, I think I had more fun then he, and duh duh da da! Isaac swam!

Leona and I hug out on the boat during swim time and had some lunch, yummers!

 Day 2: We went to Yosemite for a small hike and more swimming at the Swinging Bridge, I love that I was able to take them somewhere that I so adored as I child, although we are going to have to wait a few more years before they brave the rapids by themselfs!



Day 3: We finished off our short but lovely vacay with a trip to the Fresno Zoo Isaac's favorite exhibit by far, the reptile house followed shortly by the dinosaur digging, he could've stayed there all day!

 

Thanks for taking a look... hope you enjoyed! I really am trying to post more often I promise, see it only took me like 2 months to do this one!

Oh wait! In all the excitement of goodbyes and last days of summer, I forgot to mention what we are saying hello to... Isaac's  unwillingly officially attending preschool, and Leona is just as happy to be spending a little more one on one time with momma before #3 is here. More on that later. OK now, Thanks and have a good one!